THE TREES OF NORTH CAROLINA. 107 



ill the houses of some of the older families of the 

 country. I have heard of a single log in Florida 

 sawed into veneering and sold for 1400. In this 

 State it is seldom found of sufficient size for any 

 very important uses. 



Palmetto. (Sabal Palmetto, R. & S.) — Cape 

 Hatteras is, or was, the northern limit of this Palm, 

 from whence southward it becomes more abundant 

 in the vicinity of the Ocean. This is the only repre- 

 sentative in the United States of a large and remark- 

 able class of trees mostly confined to the Torrid Zone. 

 A trunk 40 or 50 feet in height, of uniform diameter, 

 with a tufted summit of large brilliant green, fan- 

 shaped leaves, and so wholly different in structure 

 and aspect from all our other forest trees, is a very 

 noticeable and attractive object on our coast. 



The trunk of this tree is of great value in the con- 

 struction of Avharves, as they are not subject to 

 injury from sea-worms. They have been found ser- 

 viceable in structures for defence, since balls pass 

 with difficulty through the w^ood as through cork, 

 and the w^ood closes upon the perforation instead of 

 splitting. The rarity of the tree in this State ren- 

 ders it of little economical importance here. It is to 

 be deeply regretted, however, that a reckless indiffer- 

 ence to the future, which has been charged as a char- 

 acteristic of Americans, is likely to efface, at no very 

 distant time, every vestige of this interesting orna- 

 ment of our coast. The inner portion of the young 

 plant is very tender and palatable, somewhat resem- 



